Reacher star Alan Ritchson reveals what he "fought really, really hard" for in season 4

Alan Ritchson explained the main element of Reacher season four that he pressured Amazon bosses over. The latest season of the high-octane action thriller, which stars Ritchson in the lead role of Jack Reacher, recently ended in typical heart-pounding style.

The grand finale, which aired on Prime Video, flipped the script and, instead of pitting Reacher against the typical large, brutish man to fight, he went up against assassin Lila Hoth after her plan to unleash a deadly toxin on the public was revealed.

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Hoth and her accomplice, Amisha Hoth, slash at Reacher with knives in a bloody battle that, as fans of the show would expect, ends in Reacher killing them both.

Speaking to Collider, Ritchson shared how he fought hard to not cut away from some of the more graphic scenes in season four that have made it so memorable.

"I had a lot of conversations with Amazon and my producing partners and writers about how I want to continue pushing how aggressive some of these interactions can be on the show," he began. "It's gotten a little tame, in my opinion."

The star continued: "I felt like we’d veered away from that a little bit and got a little safe, and censored some of what we could do."

He said that for season four, he "fought really, really hard" to embrace the ruthless nature of the earlier seasons, adding: "I want to continue to push stuff for that hyper-real, hyper-violent experience."

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Ritchson is set to make a guest appearance in the spin-off series Neagley, which follows Maria Sten's Reacher character Frances Neagley.

Speaking to the publication, Ritchson explained how he saw potential in Sten's character to forge her own path from the very first season of Reacher.

"[She was] in the finale in Season 1 sniping people. As soon as you see her move, she moves in a way that's pretty distinct.

"I mean, she's super physical and capable in real life, and it's a natural transition into the role that she plays.

"I saw that and was really pleasantly surprised as soon as we started working together. There's nobody better to represent the strength of a highly capable woman who specializes in protecting the innocent than Maria."

Reacher seasons one to four are streaming now on Prime Video.

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Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy Rebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more. Her particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club. LinkedIn